Our luck with planting weather finally ran out. Perhaps there is a law of averages, after all… Not excessive amounts of any of them, but wind, rain and 4C made for a trial of obduracy – which we passed!
Whimsically, I note that water is at its maximum density at 4C, so no wonder the rain in the wind made its impact felt! Nonetheless, 12 hardy souls made the planting go speedily on flat, easy planting; wet ground scarcely resisted our spades. Another 100 trees planted, making just under 1500 trees so far this season, well on track for a record total. And what a range of trees planted today; alder, ash, downy birch, blackthorn, wild cherry, crab apple (once I saw them termed crap apple in a catalogue!), dogwood, guelder rose, hawthorn, hazel, field maple, sessile oak, cherry plum, rowan, Scots pine and spindle. So sixteen sorts in all; a good protection against disease and/or pests which prefer a monoculture.
The after-planting refuge and refreshments were even more welcome than usual. Tomato soup, tea, coffee, cakes and flapjacks from Vivienne and our welcoming hosts soon thawed us out! We were slow to leave!
Next time gives us three weeks to recover. March 15 at the Hibernian. Hope you can join us.
Best wishes,
Simon